U.S. patent application number 11/877215 was filed with the patent office on 2009-04-23 for charging system and method for electronic device.
This patent application is currently assigned to INVENTEC CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Tom Chen, Juen Liou, Win-Harn Liu.
Application Number | 20090102426 11/877215 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40562814 |
Filed Date | 2009-04-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090102426 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Liou; Juen ; et al. |
April 23, 2009 |
CHARGING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICE
Abstract
A charging system and method for an electronic device are used
for controlling an external charging power supply to charge the
electronic device. Electric quantity detection software running on
the electronic device is used to detect electric quantity of a
battery of the electronic device and to generate a signal
indicating a message of performing a charging operation or
indicating a message of stopping the charging operation. A
Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface is disposed in the electronic
device to output the signal. A USB control chip, disposed in a
charging device, receives the signal and controls a switch to turn
on or turn off the external charging power supply to charge or stop
charging the electronic device. The charging system and method for
an electronic device can effectively control the electric quantity
of the battery of the electronic device without requiring a
charging control circuit.
Inventors: |
Liou; Juen; (Tianjin,
CN) ; Chen; Tom; (Taipei, TW) ; Liu;
Win-Harn; (Taipei, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
STEVENS & SHOWALTER LLP
7019 CORPORATE WAY
DAYTON
OH
45459-4238
US
|
Assignee: |
INVENTEC CORPORATION
Taipei
TW
|
Family ID: |
40562814 |
Appl. No.: |
11/877215 |
Filed: |
October 23, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
320/137 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H02J 7/00 20130101; Y02E
60/10 20130101; H01M 10/44 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
320/137 |
International
Class: |
H02J 7/00 20060101
H02J007/00; H01M 10/44 20060101 H01M010/44 |
Claims
1. A charging system for an electronic device, applicable for
controlling an external charging power supply to charge the
electronic device, comprising: an electric quantity detection
software, running on the electronic device, for generating a first
signal indicating a message of performing a charging operation when
the electric quantity of a battery of the electronic device is
detected to be lower than a first amount, or generating a second
signal indicating a message of stopping the charging operation when
the electric quantity of the battery is detected to be higher than
a second amount; a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, disposed
in the electronic device, for outputting the first signal or the
second signal; and a charging device, connected to the USB
interface, and having a USB control chip and a switch, wherein the
USB control chip is used to receive the first signal and to control
the switch to turn on the external charging power supply to charge
the electronic device, or to receive the second signal and to
control the switch to turn off the external charging power supply
to stop charging the electronic device.
2. A charging method for an electronic device, applicable for
controlling an external charging power supply to charge the
electronic device, comprising: using an electric quantity detection
software running on the electronic device to detect the electric
quantity of a battery of the electronic device; transmitting a
first signal indicating a message of performing a charging
operation through a USB interface when the electric quantity of the
battery is detected to be lower than a first amount; transmitting a
second signal indicating a message of stopping the charging
operation through the USB interface when the electric quantity of
the battery is detected to be higher than a second amount; using a
USB control chip disposed in a charging device to receive the first
signal and to control the external charging power supply to perform
a charging operation; and using the USB control chip disposed in
the charging device to receive the second signal and to control the
external charging power supply to stop the charging operation.
3. The charging method for an electronic device as claimed in claim
2, wherein a switch is used to turn on the external charging power
supply to charge the electronic device, or to turn off the external
charging power supply to stop charging the electronic device.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a charging system and
method for an electronic device. More particularly, the present
invention relates to a charging system and method, capable of
charging an electronic device through an external charging power
supply controlled by a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface of the
electronic device.
[0003] 2. Related Art
[0004] In order to enable consumers to boot the electronic device
for a test before purchasing, the manufacturer makes the electronic
devices be charged during the warm-up test on the electronic device
before the electronic devices are shipped off the production line.
The charging percentage is determined according to specifications
of the manufacturers.
[0005] It is an urgent problem to be solved by the manufacturer how
to control the charging amount and the charging time of the
electronic device. An electric quantity control circuit is disposed
in an early electronic device, which automatically detects the
electric quantity of the battery to control the charging operation
or to stop the charging operation, according to an initially set
electric quantity specification, in the stage of the warm-up test
on the production line. As the competition on the market
environment becomes more and more vigorous and the price of the
product decreases continuously, each manufacture must face the
problem of saving the cost and reducing expenditures. In order to
save the cost, currently, most of the manufacturers omit the
electric quantity control circuit. However, on the other aspect,
before the electronic devices are shipped off the production line,
it cannot effectively control the electrically amount of the
electronic device within a scope of specified specification.
Alternatively, in order to control the electric quantity of the
electronic device, it switches to charge and test the electronic
devices through a manual way, which brings an additional cost. In
addition, if the battery is over charged when the electronic device
leaves factory, for example, being charged to be higher than 90%,
the lifespan of the battery is affected.
[0006] Therefore, a method of controlling the electric quantity of
the electronic devices during the warm-up process on the production
line is desired, so as to reduce the cost and to effectively
control the electric quantity of the electronic devices within a
scope of specified specification before the electronic devices are
shipped off the production line.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In view of the above problem, the present invention is
directed to a charging system and method for an electronic device,
which are capable of reducing the cost and controlling the electric
quantity of a battery of the electronic device within a scope of
stipulated specifications before the electronic device is shipped
off the production line.
[0008] The charging system for an electronic device in the present
invention is used to control an external charging power supply to
charge the electronic device, which includes: electric quantity
detection software, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface, and a
charging device. The electric quantity detection software runs on
the electronic device, for generating a first signal indicating a
message of performing a charging operation when the electric
quantity of the battery of the electronic device is detected to be
lower than a first amount, or for generating a second signal
indicating a message of stopping the charging operation when the
electric quantity is higher than a second amount; the USB interface
is disposed in the electronic device, for outputting the first
signal or the second signal; the charging device is connected to
the USB interface, and has a USB control chip and a switch. The USB
control chip is used to receive the first signal and to control the
switch to turn on an external charging power supply to charge the
electronic device; or to receive the second signal and to control
the switch to turn off the external charging power supply to stop
charging the electronic device.
[0009] The charging method for an electronic device in the present
invention includes the following steps. Electric quantity detection
software running on the electronic device is used to detect the
electric quantity of a battery of the electronic device; when the
electric quantity of the battery is detected to be lower than a
first amount, a first signal indicating a message of performing a
charging operation is transmitted through a USB interface; when the
electric quantity of the battery is detected to be higher than a
second amount, a second signal indicating a message of stopping the
charging operation is transmitted through the USB interface; a USB
control chip disposed in a charging device is used to receive the
first signal and to control an external charging power supply to
perform the charging operation, and to receive the second signal
and to control the external charging power supply to stop the
charging operation.
[0010] The present invention outputs a signal current indicating a
message of performing a charging operation or indicating a message
of stopping the charging operation through the USB interface of the
electronic device, and uses the USB control chip disposed in the
charging device to receive the signal, so as to control the switch
to turn on or turn off the external charging power supply to charge
or to stop charging the electronic device. The charging system and
method for an electronic device in the present invention can
effectively control the electric quantity of the electronic device,
without requiring a charging control circuit in the electronic
device. Furthermore, the charging system and method of the present
invention can be repeatedly used in electronic devices where the
USB interfaces are applicable for, so the cost is reduced.
[0011] Further scope of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter.
However, it should be understood that the detailed description and
specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the
invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various
changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the
invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from
this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description given herein below for illustration only,
which thus is not limitative of the present invention, and
wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a charging system for an
electronic device according to the present invention; and
[0014] FIG. 2 is a flow chart of the charging method for the
electronic device according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0015] Referring to FIG. 1, it is a schematic view of a charging
system for an electronic device according to the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, the charging system 100 for an electronic
device is used to control an external charging power supply 21 to
charge an electronic device 22. The charging system 100 for an
electronic device includes electric quantity detection software 23,
a Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface 24, and a charging device
25.
[0016] The electric quantity detection software 23 runs on the
electronic device 22, for generating a first signal indicating a
message of performing a charging operation when the electric
quantity of a battery of the electronic device 22 is detected to be
lower than a first amount, or generating a second signal indicating
a message of stopping the charging operation when the electric
quantity of the battery is detected to be higher than a second
amount. The electronic device is an electronic device with a USB
interface, such as a notebook computer, a portable computer, a
mobile phone, a MPEG Audio Layer 3 (MP3) player or a MPEG 4 (MP4)
player. The first amount of the electric quantity ranges from 10%
to 40%. For example, the first amount may be 10%, 25% or 40%. The
second amount of the electric quantity ranges from 60% to 90%. For
example, the second amount may be 60%, 75% or 90%.
[0017] The USB interface 24 is disposed in the electronic device
22, so as to output the first signal or the second signal.
[0018] The charging device 25 is connected to the USB interface 24,
and has a USB control chip 26 and a switch 27. The USB control chip
26 is used to receive the first signal and to control the switch 27
to turn on the external charging power supply 21 to charge the
electronic device 22, or to receive the second signal and to
control the switch 27 to turn off the external charging power
supply 21 to stop charging the electronic device 22.
[0019] Once the external charging power supply 21 is turned on by
the switch 27, an adaptor 28 is firstly used to convert an
alternating current (AC) into a direct current (DC), so as to
charge the electronic device 22.
[0020] The electric quantity detection software 23 running on the
electronic device 22 is used to detect the electric quantity of the
battery of the electronic device 22, for generating the first
signal indicating a message of performing a charging operation when
the electric quantity of the battery is detected to be lower than
the first amount, or generating the second signal indicating a
message of stopping the charging operation when the electric
quantity of the battery is detected to be higher than the second
amount. The electric quantity detection software 23 outputs the
first signal or the second signal through the USB interface 24 of
the electronic device 22. The USB control chip 26 of the charging
device 25 receives and processes the first signal or the second
signal, so as to determine the electric quantity detection software
23 intends to perform the charging operation or to stop the
charging operation. When the USB control chip 26 receives the first
signal indicating a message of performing a charging operation, the
USB control chip 26 controls the switch 27 to turn on the external
charging power supply 21 to charge the electronic device 22; or
when the USB control chip 26 receives the second signal indicating
a message of stopping the charging operation, the USB control chip
26 controls the switch 27 to turn off the external charging power
supply 21 to stop charging the electronic device 22.
[0021] Referring to FIG. 2, it is a flow chart of the charging
method for the electronic device according to the present
invention. The charging method for an electronic device in the
present invention is used to control an external charging power
supply to charge or to stop charging the electronic device, which
includes the following steps. Firstly, electric quantity detection
software running on the electronic device is used to detect the
electric quantity of a battery of the electronic device (Step 11).
Next, when the electric quantity of the battery is detected to be
lower than a first amount, a first signal indicating a message of
performing a charging operation is generated (Step 12). Then, the
first signal is transmitted through a USB interface (Step 13).
Then, a USB control chip disposed in the charging device is used to
receive the first signal and to control the switch to turn on an
external charging power supply to charge the electronic device
(Step 14). Alternatively, when the electric quantity of the battery
is detected to be higher than a second amount, a second signal
indicating a message of stopping the charging operation is
generated (Step 15). Next, the second signal is transmitted through
a USB interface (Step 16). Then, the USB control chip disposed in
the charging device is used to receive the second signal and to
control the switch to turn off the external charging power supply
to stop charging the electronic device (Step 17).
[0022] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that
the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be
regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,
and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in
the art are intended to be included within the scope of the
following claims.
* * * * *